Planning ahead…
..means planting ahead.
I mean really, who thinks of broccoli in July and August when you have tender beans and zippy peppers and juicy tomatoes and crispy cucumbers – not to mention all the sweet stone fruit?
Since we’re trying to up our production, planning ahead is essential so I heeded the recommended Fall planting schedule for our growing zone – 9 – and started to sprout seeds for broccoli and chard.
Previously I didn’t have much luck sprouting my starts from seed – most of the time they didn’t seem to sprout or when they did the next day they would be nibbled to stubs or if they survived infancy they would look ‘leggy’ and fall over.
But since we’re trying to be more self sustaining, I researched the proper way to sprout seeds.
So my near proper way:
I started with clean sterile soil – in this case American Soil Local Hero.
I put the soil into my sprouting container – about 6 inches.
Sprinkled in my seeds, covered with a thin layer of soil and watered.
To keep my sprouting container from becoming a vermin buffet, I put a screen over the top.
You see, last year, inspired by Robin who planted dozens of broccoli starts I decided to plant a few that I purchased.
Each day on my garden rounds, I would check on their progress. Each day they would grow and even started to bud! …until one morning I went out and each broccoli was nibbled down to a little stem sticking out of the ground!
Argh! Birds? Squirrels? Snails? Munching Bugs?
I didn’t know but curses! Foiled again!
As my seeds sprouted and started to grow into healthy broccoli starts I was more determined that ever.
Wow! using clean fresh soil helps – look at how healthy those look! Beats a handful of dirt full of weed seeds.
Time to plant the starts into their Fall and Winter home.
We created some new planting space from discarded recycle bins. The soil is dark clayish top soil mixed with lots of well composted horse manure. I topped with some straw mulch to keep it moist and warm.
This year, my aim is to outsmart!…
outwit!…
I shall prevail!
I have an opposable thumb and I know how to use it!
Into the garage I marched. Drill – check; screws – check; level – check; deer netting – check; stakes – check…; oh and wooden clothes pins…you really need opposable thumbs to operate those 
Before planting the seedlings I gathered up all my supplies to vermin proof the planters.
I took the screws and attached them to the fence with a little gap to easily hang the deer netting.
Stakes prop up the other side for the netting to drape over.
Then clothes pins to keep the netting closed.
I planted the broccoli and chard resting a little easier at night…but who knows? Time will tell but so far so good.
No related posts.
